Tourism Manifesto: strategies and initiatives to recover the tourism industry

Ph. Credits and source tourismmanifesto.eu

During the COVID-19 emergency, the travel one has been one of the first sectors to be impacted by the restrictions on travels and by the general uncertainty.

We saw how several states launched initiatives aiming to encourage tourists to visit their destinations but, with the advancing pandemic and with stricter politics, these initiatives became strategies to recover the sector after the emergency.

At a European level, the European Tourism Manifesto Alliance, an organisation in which several tourism key players and institutions cooperate, released a statement asking companies and institutions to collaborate in order to implement as soon as possible measures that could stem the impact of the pandemic on the European tourism sector.

The statement follows a press release by the European Commission that, on 13th March, indicated a list of guidelines and measures to follow in order to control the crisis and to revive the economy, inviting everyone to cooperate.
In particular, the Alleance addresses to the European Commission and to the governments of the member states, indicating the most urgent measures that should be implemented in the travel sector. It is then highlighted the importance of state aid for the tourism and travel sector from national governments, with the opportunity to easily access to short- and medium-term loans and fiscal relief such as the deferment of fiscal and social contributions, especially for SMEs.
Regarding the human resources, the Manifesto focuses on the protection of employees, avoiding unemployment and loss of income, also through the launch of the European Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme.
More in detail, the Manifesto proposes initiatives such as immediate passing of temporary airport slots waiver, regarding the airlines.
Finally, the Alliance wishes for a stronger cooperation among the national authorities to send a unified message in terms of travel advice to the affected regions and requirements on travellers returning from those areas.

When the emergency ends, in order to guarantee a fast and effective recovery, it is recommended a simplification of visa rules for long-haul markets, reducing or waiving travellers’ taxes and a full support to destinations, by increasing their budgets for promotion, marketing and product development purposes as soon as they are ready to welcome visitors again.

At Twissen we observed that, at a European level, the proposed initiatives aim to collaboration and cooperation. Facilitations to companies and players of the travel sector, both during and after the emergency, could guarantee a strong and unified recovery in every affected area.

Martina Baldo

She graduated in Intercultural Development of Tourism Systems and she has a passion for foreign languages and cultures. Since 2016 she works as administration and tourism project manager at Twissen.